Tractor wheel



NOV. 30, 1943. w, E WINE 2335:372

TRACTOR WHEEL Filed Feb. 5, 194:5 2 sheets-sheet 1 Patented Nov. 30, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 7 Claims.

My invention relates to tractor wheels and it has for its principal object the production of a wheel which is particularly useful as a front guide wheel for the conventional three wheel type of agricultural tractor.

The primary feature of the invention consists in providing a tractor wheel having an annular plate portion with a plurality of relatively movable ground engaging shoes and with means secured to the annular plate adjacent its outer edge for effecting a driving connection between the shoes and the plate during the interval each shoe is in engagement with the ground.

Other and more specific features of the invention, residing in advantageous forms, combinations and relations of parts, will hereinafter appear and be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 illustrates a side elevational view of a tractor wheel embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of a portion of the tractor wheel illustrated in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, l indicates an annular plate or disk having a centrally located opening 2 for receiving an axle or other wheel supporting member (not shown). As is customary, a plurality of smaller openings 3 are arranged around the central opening 2 to receive bolts or the like (not shown) which are usually employed for connecting a demountable wheel to its support.

The outer edge of the annular plate is notched or cut away at spaced intervals to provide recesses '4, and secured to the plate adjacent each of the recesses is a cast means or device 5. Each of these castings may advantageously be made in two parts 6 and 1, respectively, which are preferably identical in construction and are arranged in overlapping relation to opposite sides of the annular plate I. The two parts of each casting are rigidly connected to each other and to the plate by any suitable means, such as rivets 8.

The castings 5 extend across or bridge the outer portions of the recesses 4 so that the latter are, in effect, converted into apertures each of which is adapted to receive means whereby a ground engaging shoe 9 may be movably connected to the plate for operative association with each casting 5.

Each shoe 9 is provided with a base or ground engaging portion I0 which may be conveniently reinforced by a longitudinally extending centrally disposed rib ll. Extending upwardly from the base I0 of each shoe are a pair of laterally spaced arms l2 which are arranged on oppositesides of the annular plate I and of the associated casting 5. The means for connecting the shoe to the plate or its associated casting consists of a bolt l3 which extends through the'adjacent aperture in the plate and connects the inner ends of the arms I2. Encircling the bolt 13 is a ferrule or sleeve l4 which abuts against the inner faces of the arms and serves as a spacer therefor, so that the nut i5 which is threaded on one end of the bolt I3 may be firmly tightened without subjecting the arms to strain. The diameter or cross sectional area of the sleeves I 6 of the securing means for the shoes is considerably smaller than the apertures of the plate in which they are located so that the shoes, in addition to being freely movable independently of each other are capable of assuming a great variety of different positions.

Extending inwardly from each arm [2 of each shoe are lugs or the like [6 which project between circumferentially spaced lugs I? extending outwardly from each half of each casting 5. The lugs on the castings are adapted to coact with the lugs on the shoe so as to effect a driving engagement between the shoes and the castings or annular plate I during the time the shoes are in engagement with the ground. The means whereby the shoes are movably connected to the plate are thus not subjected to any strains while the shoes are in engagement with the ground.

The outer surfaces of the castings 5 are arcuate in shape, being preferably concentric with the outer edge of the annular plate, and they afford surfaces which rock or roll along the top surface of the base portions of the shoes when the shoes are in engagement with the ground. The castings 5 are preferably reinforced and their outer surfaces broadened by flanges 18 which, at their inner ends, may conveniently merge into the lugs ll. The space between the lugs ll on each casting is preferably somewhat greater than the space between the cooperating lugs on the shoes 9 so that the shoes will not become wedged between the lugs on the castings. The lugs on the arms l2 of the shoes may advantageously be formed as marginal flanges so as to serve to reinforce the arms. Moreover, the lugs on each arm may continue upwardly, following the contour of the arm, and by merging together form, in eifect, a single continuous marginal flange.

From the foregoing, it will be perceived that I have devised a simple, reliable and rugged tractor wheel which is well suited to serve as a guide wheel in the conventional three wheel type of tractor. Various modifications and changes may be made in the details of the particular embodiment of the invention herein described and illustrated without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A tractor wheel including an annular plate having a plurality of apertures adjacent its outer edge, a plurality of shoes each having means passing through one of said apertures for connecting the shoes to said plate, the cross sectional area of said connecting means being substantially smaller than said openings whereby said shoes may move independently of said plate in a plurality of difierent directions, and means rigid with said plate adjacent each of said apertures having laterally projecting ribs for effecting an operative driving connection between said shoes and plate portion during the interval each shoe is in engagement with the ground.

2. A tractor wheel including an annular plate having a plurality of apertures adjacent its outer edge, a plurality of shoes each having a pair of arms arranged on opposite sides of said plate, means connecting the inner ends of the arms of each shoe and respectively extending through said apertures, and means rigid with said plate adjacent each of said apertures having laterally projecting ribs for cooperating with the adjacent shoe for effecting a driving connection between the shoe and said plate during the interval the shoe is in engagement with the ground.

3. A tractor wheel including an annular plate having a plurality of apertures adjacent its outer edge, a plurality of shoes each having a base portion and a pair of upstanding arms arranged on opposite sides of said plate, means connecting the inner ends of the arms of each shoe and respectively passing through said apertures, and a plurality of cast members rigid with said plate respectively adjacent said shoes, each of said cast members having an arcuate outer portion along which the base of the adjacent shoe is adapted to rock and each of said members also having laterally projecting means cooperable with the arms of the adjacent shoe for efiecting an operative driving connection between the shoe and said plate during the interval the shoe is in engagement with the ground. 1

a. A tractor wheel including an annular plate having a plurality of apertures adjacent its outer edge, a plurality of cast means respectively secured in overlapping relation to opposite sides of said plate adjacent said apertures, each of said means having a pair of laterally projecting circumferentially spaced lugs, and a plurality of shoes mounted on said plate respectively adjacent said cast means, each of said shoes having a base portion and a pair of arms arranged on 0pposite sides of said plate, the lugs on each cast means being cooperable with the arms of the associated shoe for effecting a driving connection between the shoe and said plate, and means respectively passing through said apertures and connecting the inner ends of the arms of the shoes for maintaining the shoes in operative association with said plate.

5. A tractor wheel including an annular plate having a plurality of apertures adjacent its outer edge, a plurality of cast means respectively secured in overlapping relation to opposite sides of said plate adjacent said apertures, each of said means having two pairs of oppositely projecting circumferentially spaced lugs, a shoe operatively associated with each of said cast means, each of said shoes having a base and a pair of arms arranged on opposite sides of the annular plate, said lugs of each cast meansbeing cooperable with the arms of the associated shoe to effect a driving connection between the annular plate and shoe, and means respectively passing through said apertures and connecting the inner ends of the arms of the shoes for maintaining the shoes in operative association with said annular plate.

6. A tractor wheel including an annular plate having a plurality of apertures adjacent its outer edge, a plurality of pairs of members rigidly secured to said plate adjacent the outer edge thereof, the members of each of said pairs being disposed on opposite sides of the plate and being respectively provided with laterally projecting lugs, and a shoe movably connected to said plate adjacent each of said pairs of members, each shoe being provided with a pair of arms arranged on opposite sides of the plate and with means cooperable with the lugs of the adjacent pair of members.

7. A tractor wheel including an annular plate, a plurality of rigid means connected to said plate adjacent the outer edge thereof, said plate being provided with an aperture adjacent each of said rigid means which is bounded in part by said rigid means, a plurality of shoes respectively associated with said annular plate adjacent said rigid means, each of said shoes being provided with a pair of arms arranged on opposite sides of the plate, and means connecting the inner ends of the arms of each shoe and passing through the adjacent aperture, each of said rigid means having laterally projecting lugs cooperable with the arms of the adjacent shoe for effecting a driving connection between the plate and shoe during the interval the latter is in engagement with the ground.

WILLIAM E. WINE. 

